Welcome back!

Each summer, the classical music world descends upon Aspen valley for a whirlwind series of concerts, chamber recitals, lectures, and workshops. Call it Tanglewood West: eight music-packed weeks that are actually about something far more than music. It all started humbly enough, when Chicago entrepreneur Walter Paepke put together a celebration of Goethe, his favorite writer, in 1949. But very quickly the Aspen Music Festival and School grew into one of the nation's most important classical celebrations—and one of its premier educational programs. In 1951, at its debut, the School enrolled 183 students; today more than 600 pass through annually, and it counts some of classical music's greatest talents—Joshua Bell, Sarah Chang, Midori, Dawn Upshaw, Renee Fleming, Leonard Slatkin, many others—among its alumni.

For visitors and Aspen locals alike, it all adds up to the chance to hear some of the best music from some of the best musicians in the world. The Festival takes place between June and August, and includes orchestral as well as chamber performances, dance, opera, and special events. Shows in the 2000-seat open-air Benedict Music Tent—which happen almost daily during the summer season—feel surprisingly intimate; seating on the lawn next door is free.